Dr. Sarah Bireete Charged over Unlawful Disclosure of Voter Data

KAMPALA; Human rights lawyer Sarah Bireete has been charged over unlawful obtaining or disclosure of personal data, according to a charge sheet filed at Buganda Road Magistrate’s Court in Kampala.

Sarah Bireete, Executive Director of the Centre for Constitutional Governance (CCG) was charged under Sections 35 (1) and (2) of Uganda’s Data Protection and Privacy Act.

According to the police charge sheet dated Jan. 2, 2026, prosecutors allege that between January and December 2025, Bireete and others still at large unlawfully obtained or disclosed national voter information controlled or processed by the Electoral Commission of Uganda, without the commission’s consent.

Bireete, 49, resident of Kiwango-Namwezi Village, Bukerere Parish, Goma Sub-county in Mukono District, was arrested at her home on December 30, 2025, by Kampala Metropolitan Police following heightened scrutiny of her election monitoring activities ahead of the January 15 general elections.

Bireete’s legal team has not yet publicly responded to the charges, and her next court appearance is expected to address bail and procedural matters.

The Uganda Human Rights Commission said earlier this week that it had verified her detention, confirmed that she had access to her lawyers and that she had recorded a statement with police.

The charges come days after the Electoral Commission issued a public warning against the sharing of personal voter information on social media.